Nicole woke up late, mumbling something back into her dream before she parted her long

lashes tangled with sleep. Dick's bed was empty, and only a minute later did she realize that she
had been woken up by a knock on their salon door. "Entrez" she yelled, but no answer came, and
after a moment she slipped into her dressing gown and went to open it. A sergent de ville
confronted her courteously and entered the room. "Is mister Afghan North here?" "Who? No- he
has left for America."
"When did he leave, Madame?" "Yesterday morning. "He shook his head and waved his
index finger in front of her face in a quick rhythm. "He was in Paris last night. He is registered
here, but his room in empty. They told me to ask in this room as well." "I find it very strange- we
saw him off to the ship yesterday morning." "Be that as it may, he has been seen here this
morning. Even his ID has been seen. There you are!" "We don't know anything about this" she
proclaimed, baffled.
He reflected for a second. He was a handsome, yet foul-smelling man. "Have you been with
him at all last night?" "Of course not." "We've arrested a black man. We are sure that we've
finally caught the right black man." "I assure you that I have no idea about this matter. If it is
mister Abraham North, whom we know well, if he was in Paris last night, you can be certain that
we know absolutely nothing about this."
The man nodded, sucking on his bottom lip, convinced, but disappointed.